Touch Me and I'll Kill You
by discohamster
Summary: Once she would have thrown herself at his feet for a word of acknowledgement, yet now that Sasuke has returned, Sakura wonders what she saw in him. The tide has reversed. He is intrigued, but she abhors him. This time, she will not let him control her.
1. Return

It was strange, that after chasing after him for so long she had finally quelled the longing she had harbored for years. Eight years of her life had been wasted, thrown at his feet only to be scoffed at as he turned away. For half her life she had pressed on despite everything, abandoning all in hopes of earning a minute sliver of his heart.

But he had spurned everything.

Sakura didn't know why it had taken her so long to realize she was chasing a hallucination, but she had finally accepted the fundamental knowledge that every man should fear.

There is no fury like a woman scorned.

Too long she had been seeking to fulfill a dream, no, a dillusion. Blindly she had followed Sasuke everywhere, even considering joining Madara if only to win her former teammate's affection. Sasuke's only reply had been a sword aimed at her back. What man was worth such wasted devotion?

_None_, Sakura shook her head wildly, her hands trembling in anger. She had been like a foolish little girl, trailing after someone who couldn't look past his own ego. Let him have his power and revenge. Let him sneer at the next pretty girl and tell how little of his time she was worth. Sakura was _done_. She couldn't care less if he crawled through the mud on his hands and knees and begged for her forgiveness. She would never even look at him again if she could help it.

So why did _Naruto_ have to make that simple concept the most difficult thing in the world?

"Sakura! Come on, it's Sasuke! He's back! Aren't you gonna come see him?"

Sakura's hands clenched in abhorence. _Her_ go see _Sasuke_? How dare Naruto even suggest such a thing! It didn't matter that Sasuke had helped Naruto kill Madara and end the war. She wasn't fooled like the rest of the village.

How could everyone make such a fuss over Sasuke's 'heroic actions?' The Uchiha had been the cause of the deaths of so many people! It didn't seem fair. Naruto had fought his whole life for the praise of the village, yet Sasuke had gained it in only a moment. A chance act of 'redemption' had indeed brought about the deaths of Madara and Kabuto, but had Sasuke not been a cause of the war in the first place? How dare he strut through the village now as though none of the past had taken place! It was revolting, watching the villagers nod their heads in greeting as the Uchiha passed by, a host of females trailing after him like lovesick puppies.

Sakura turned away in disgust. Naruto might be fooled by Sasuke's seemingly repentant attitude, but she would never allow the Uchiha to overlook the hurt he had caused. It was as though Sasuke had taken a knife and over the years had repeatedly stabbed her in the heart, twisting the dagger a little deeper every time. Sakura would never allow herself to move past the agony of his callous words. If she had her way, the Uchiha would never be permitted to foget them.

"Hey, Sakura." Naruto had bounded over while Sakura mulled, and with a quick tug he hoisted her to her feet. "Didn't you hear me? Sasuke's back! He's staying this time, Sakura! No more revenge and no more running away!"

Sakura continued to stare over the blond's shoulder, deliberately ignoring the dark haired Uchiha who had approached. Naruto's face fell as Sakura gave no reaction.

"What's the matter, Sakura? Aren't you happy?"

"I'll see you later, Naruto," Sakura replied coldly as she pushed past him.

A hand suddenly snaked around and grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn around. Blank onyx eyes met her own.

"Sakura."

The voice was as cool as always, giving no hint of Sasuke's true intent. Sakura's enmity rekindled as she gazed into his emotionless gaze.

"Let go of my arm, Sasuke," she spat, her emerald eyes flashing in warning.

Naruto looked nervously between the two, not anticipating this sudden turn of events. "Sakura, what's going on?" he demanded. "Sasuke's _back!_ Tsunade let him return to the village! Why are you so mad at him?"

A flicker of intrigue passed across Sasuke's face, the same question obviously running through his mind. Sakura matched his calm appearance with her own blazing fury.

"Some things just can't ever be the same, Naruto," Sakura tore Sasuke's grip away from her forearm. "I can only forgive a _traitor_ so many times."

Sasuke's brow furrowed ever so slightly, but once again no other spark of feeling showed on his immaculate features. Detesting the very thought that she had once been attracted to such a perfect face, Sakura's hand moved of its own accord. A sharp crack echoed across the streets as the brand of a woman's hatred blazed across Sasuke's cheek. The Uchiha's eyes widened at the unexpected maneuver on Sakura's part. Shocked, yet abnormally satisfied at what she had done, Sakura rubbed her hand a moment before spinning on her heel and marching in the opposite direction. Naruto's calls sounded behind her, but Sakura ignored him. A thrill of triumph curdled inside her as she realized what she had done.

For the first time in her life, Sakura was truly free of Sasuke Uchiha.


	2. Sharp Words

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything associated.**

Sakura dressed hurriedly and tied her bubblegum pink hair in a stiff ponytail, her mind dwelling on the day before. Now that _he_ was back, life was going to be far from normal. Avoiding Sasuke completely would be impossible, especially now that Naruto was going to such lengths to incorporate his former teammate back into the old village life. Still, Sakura had always been known for her stubborn willpower. If she had been able to spend half her life trailing after a hopeless cause, she should have no difficulty carrying out the reverse.

Her confidence bolstered by this thought, Sakura stepped out into the early morning sun and set off for the hospital. She enjoyed this time of the day. The summer heat was hours from reaching its peak, and the dew sparkled like a thousand diamonds on the grass. The village was still and peaceful, the silence broken only by the birds chirping and a few people milling around. Sakura took a deep breath of the crisp air and sighed in contentment. This was _her_ village and _her_ life. Not even the Uchiha could take that away from her.

It was as though fate wanted to spite the nose off her face. The only warning Sakura might have detected was the slight breath of air wooshing past her before _he_ appeared. The hairs on the back of Sakura's neck bristled as Sasuke folded his arms nonchallantly and watched her approach. The cool indifference in his eyes was infuriating.

Gritting her teeth, Sakura resigned herself to the fact that she would have to remain impeccably polite despite the circumstances. It would be no good to send the Uchiha to the hospital with a shattered nose while _she_ was one of the nurses on duty. Sakura could just imagine his triumphant smirk if she were forced to repair the damage bestowed so generously upon his pristine features.

"Uchiha," Sakura nodded stiffly as she passed, still refusing to meet Sasuke's eyes. There were no suffixes to hint at any remaining affection, and she had proved in a single word that they were no longer on a first name basis. Let him consider _that_ for a welcome home present.

Sasuke halfway expected Sasuke to follow, but to her mild surprise he did not attempt to intercept her after such a firm rebuke. She could feel his eyes boring into her back, however, and was relieved when she finally reached the hospital. With any luck, she could forget the Uchiha in the frantic schedule of her shift.

Sakura attacked her duties with a new vigor, astounding the other medics with her enthusiasm. Here, at last, she was able to think past the events of the last few days. Her hands were kept busy tending to the multiple casualties brought to the hospital, and her mind was occupied only with the task at hand. For once there was some illusion of normalicy in the world. Several hours into her shift, Sakura examined her clipboard only to find the name of a certain memorable blond blazed out on the top.

"_Na_ruto!" Sakura rolled her eyes as she slammed the door against the wall, nearly creating a hole in the roof as said Uzamaki practically leapt through the ceiling.

"Eesh, Sakura!" Naruto complained, "What was that for? You're supposed to heal me, not scare me to death!"

"What did you do this time?" Sakura interrogated, noting several prominent bruises on the Uzamaki's face.

Naruto winced and rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, promise me you won't kill the person who did this?"

"I don't have time for games, Naruto," Sakura's brow furrowed in concern, belaying her sharp tone as she took a closer look at the worst of the swelling. "Whose herb garden did you pull up this time?"

Naruto grinned as he remembered that particular incident from their genin days. "Actually, it didn't have to do with any phony missions this time," he quipped. "Sasuke and I have been training. You should see his face! I tell ya, it's ten times - hey! Watch it, Sakura!"

Unwittingly Sakura rubbed the salve a little too harshly into her teammate's face. Her eyes flashed at his words, only to widen in astonishment as she realized what she was doing.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Sakura flustered as she pulled her hands away and gently wound a bandage around Naruto's swollen cheekbone. "My mind wandered for a minute."

"Why are you so mad at Sasuke anyways?" Naruto grumbled. "Seems every time I bring his name up you're ready to tear up something. I don't get it; I thought you were anxious to get him back."

Sakura let out a deep sigh before answering softly, "I'm glad that you're happy to see him, Naruto, but not everything can be said for me. Sasuke hurt me deeply in the past. You remember how many times he told us we were weak or not worth his time, don't you?"

"Yeah," Naruto shrugged, "But he was always that way." The blond chuckled. "Wasn't he surprised when we proved him wrong!"

Sakura allowed herself a small smile. "That's where you and I are different, Naruto. You can laugh off a lot of things and pretend they don't matter. Even if the things people say _do_ mean something to you, you can move past them and act as though nothing terrible has occured in your life. I can't do that. I believed with you for as long as I could that Sasuke would change in his attitude towards us. One day, I realized that I had been fooling myself for too long. Sasuke has never considered anyone to be anything but a hinderance to him. To him, you'll always be a loser, and I'll always be the nuisance who just gets in the way."

Sakura rose to her feet, her movements hurried as her temper began to rise. "I _won't_ be a hinderance any more, Naruto. I'm tired of trying to live up to his expectations! If he can't see me as being worth more than another tool in his charade, then I won't bother giving him even so much as my attention."

Naruto's gaze was troubled but understanding. "I know what you mean, Sakura. But it isn't that way anymore. Sasuke's different, I know it. Sure, he's still got issues, but he's trying. At least be a little nicer to him when he's around. He is our teammate, after all."

Sakura looked away and shook her head. "Too much has happened for me to forgive him easily, Naruto. I'm glad to know that you're happy now that Sasuke's back, but it won't ever be the same for me. For your sake I'll be chivalrous to him when you're around, but if he even considers acting like a snob I'll land him in the hospital faster than his sharingan can track! That's a promise!"

Naruto stared at his sandals. "I was kinda afraid you'd say something like that, Sakura. I had hoped that maybe now that Sasuke was here, we could be a team again..."

"Don't put me on a guilt trip, Naruto!" Sakura whirled around. "Look, I'm sorry things aren't working out the way you wanted, but this isn't something where he can just say 'I'm sorry' and have everything go back to normal! I did _everything_ for him! Twice I even offered to betray the Leaf Village if he would only let me go with him! And now that he's finished kicking my devotion in the dust and throwing it back in my face, _now_ he wants me to run to him with open arms! I'm not doing it, Naruto! I won't let him put me through that all over again!"

Sakura didn't realize how much of her control she was letting slip until she caught sight of Naruto's devestated features. Letting out a deep sigh, she pronounced firmly, "You know what, I don't care if Sasuke is back. If he wants to make a name for himself in the village, that's great. If he wants to make up for the countless lives he destroyed, then good for him. I hope he succeeds - I really do." Sakura clenched and unclenched her fists a moment, riding out the emotions.

"I will tell you this, though; I won't have anything to do with him. To me, Sasuke is just another former criminal. He can do whatever it takes to make peace with the village, but it won't make up for the words and actions he used against me. As far as I'm concerned, Sasuke is no longer a part of my life."

Sakura could think of a thousand other insults to add to injury, but the look on Naruto's face halted the rush of words. She didn't want to push it too far and drive off her best friend. After all, even if she was the only one who recognized the Uchiha for what he really was, not everyone would share in her opinion so willingly. Anything else she wanted to say would have to wait until later, preferably when Sasuke was there to hear it.

"Don't mind me, Naruto," Sakura forced a smile and waved the matter away. "I just have a lot to work through right now."

Naruto nodded slowly, though he still had that dazed look written all over his face. "Don't feel too harshly towards him, Sakura," he finally requested. "Remember, he's been through just as much as we have. He's gotta be taking this hard."

Sakura started to say something, but clamped her mouth shut in time. Turning away, she hastily vacated the room and shut the door behind her. Naruto simply didn't understand; not everyone could forgive as easily as a forever optimist could.

. . . .. .. . .. . . .. .

Sakura was exhausted by the end of the day. A team had returned that morning from a failed mission near the outskirts of the village. Three members of the squad had been horrifically mauled, the other killed. The body hadn't been recovered, and the intelligence corp was still trying to interpret the meaningless jumble that the terrified survivors had given when questioned. Sakura felt a wave of nausea as she remembered the gory scene. No matter how many times she faced an emergency situation, the details still haunted her long into the night. This particular one was going to show up in her nightmares.

"Sakura."

Sakura skidded to a halt a familiar shinobi fell into step beside her. _Breath, Sakura_. It was a little difficult to concentrate on remaining calm when her immediate instinct was to sock a certain Uchiha in the face. Sakura mulled over the different shades of bruises she had witnessed at the hospital, and wondered exactly how much chakra she would need to focus into her speed and accuracy in order to land a particularely spectacular one on Sasuke's cheekbone.

"We need to talk."

The emotionless tone could have been compared to a thousand fingernails scraping down a chalkboard. Sakura would rather rub her teeth over a wooden implement than listen to _him_ go on.

"There's nothing to talk about," Sakura breathed serenely as she quickened her pace.

Sasuke merely lengthened his own stride, easily keeping up. "You've been avoiding me."

'_Thanks for pointing out the obvious!'_ Inner Sakura shrieked. Sakura responded primly, "Oh? What makes you think that?"

To her immense satisfaction, Sasuke shot her a quick glance boardering between incredulity and agitation. Sakura smiled pleasantly and commenced to ignore the Uchiha.

"I assume you're still angry with me for leaving the village."

Sakura snorted. _Don't forget to mention that you betrayed Konoha, were almost responsible for the deaths of the entire Retrieval Squad, tried to __**kill**__ your own teammates innumerable times, and let's not ignore the fact that you attempted to drive your chidori through my back the last time I announced my affections for you! You traitorous snake!_

A tight release of breath was the only hint of responsiveness on Sasuke's part. "I had my reasons, Sakura. You should understand that much."

"Oh, so trying to kill your best friend is an excusable action concerning your tragic lifestory, is it?" Sakura shot back. "Naruto seems to have felt it was neccessary. Why don't you go talk to him about it and leave me out of this!"

Sasuke drew to a halt and gave Sakura a level stare. She met his gaze cooly, refusing to back down or show anything but her utter despisement for the Uchiha. Sasuke's eyes seemed to take on an almost haunted appearance as he defended, "I never said it was _right_. I just said that I had my reasons."

Sakura felt the deep anger purr in relish at the added fuel Sasuke's words added. Drawing herself up to her full height, Sakura stepped forward and looked the Uchiha straight in the eye. "As for leaving me on the bench, I suppose you had reasons for that as well?" she challenged cooly. "How changed are you, Sasuke?"

Either his gaze was unfeeling, or Sakura didn't want to guess what emotions might be hidden behind the dark orbs. Trusting that her words had cut as deep as any kunai - if the Uchiha had the capacities to feel pain that is - Sakura turned smartly on her heel and marched away. There were too many churning thoughts for her to sort through right now. Sakura was worried that if she didn't leave the premises immediately, either she or Sasuke would wind up in the hospital with nearly every bone broken. If worst came to worst, she might even burst into tears from the years of pent up tension. Neither option was relished at the moment, excepting the idea of Sasuke being brought down another peg or two.

Rubbing a hand over her face, Sakura quickened her pace and headed towards one of her favorite cafes. She had paperwork to finish, and there was nothing better than a steaming mug of tea to calm her nerves. At the rate she was going, if Sasuke took one step in her general direction she was going to kill him.


End file.
